The much-anticipated Hulu series, All's Fair, produced by the renowned Ryan Murphy and featuring reality star Kim Kardashian, has been met with a disappointing 6% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Out of 17 reviews, only one has praised the legal drama, indicating a significant disconnect between audience expectations and critical reception.
Despite boasting an impressive ensemble cast that includes Emmy winners like Niecy Nash-Betts and Sarah Paulson, as well as acclaimed actors like Naomi Watts and Glenn Close, the show has garnered scathing reviews. Critics have lambasted the series for its poor dialogue, lackluster performances, and an apparent disinterest in deeply exploring the complexities of the divorce lawyers depicted in the story.
The Guardian's review described All's Fair as "fascinatingly, incomprehensibly, existentially terrible," awarding it a rare zero-star rating. This score has only been given to 14 other works across all media in the publication's history, three of which are television shows. In a similar vein, The Times labeled the series as potentially the worst television drama ever made, criticizing Kardashian’s portrayal by stating, "She is to acting what Genghis Khan is to a peaceful liberal democracy." The review also condemned the dialogue as a "tsunami of clunking clichés," arguing that it fails to resonate authentically with viewers.
Hollywood Reporter echoed the negative sentiment but suggested that Kardashian's stiff performance aligns perfectly with the show's equally robotic writing. The review noted that both the acting and the dialogue lack authenticity, which detracts from the overall experience.
On a slightly more positive note, Variety highlighted Nash-Betts’ performance as one of the few redeeming aspects of the show. However, it criticized the overall narrative as a clumsy attempt at girlboss feminism, comparing the experience of watching to indulging in too many sweets—satisfying at first but ultimately leaving a feeling of discomfort.
Vulture's review likened All's Fair to "cotton-candy TV," noting that while it may be visually appealing and sugary, it ultimately lacks substance. The critique emphasized that the series feels more like a diorama of a legal drama than an actual courtroom narrative, as it neglects to depict crucial legal proceedings in its first three episodes. Furthermore, the review mentioned an insidious undercurrent of Islamophobia within the storyline.
Consequence described the series as a "fever dream," presenting a bizarre alternate universe where the characters behave in ways that are far removed from reality. While the show may have aimed for a campy tone, the review argued that true camp should be entertaining, which All's Fair fails to deliver.
The first three episodes of All's Fair are currently available for streaming on Hulu, but with such overwhelmingly negative feedback, viewers may want to approach with caution.
